Marple, Rork seek 1st District Commission seat

Shawnee County Commission candidate Carol Marple describes herself as an “ordinary citizen,” not a politician, who believes the average person should have a say in how his or her money is spent.

Her Republican primary election opponent — William K. “Billy” Rork — says he plans, if elected, to represent his constituents with the same vigor with which he’s represented his clients.

Republican voters in commission District 1 will choose Tuesday between Marple and Rork, both 60, to be their party’s candidate for a four-year term in that district’s seat.

The primary winner will face off in the Nov. 4 general election against Independent incumbent Shelly Buhler, 49, and Democrat Chad Manspeaker, 37, a Topeka City Council member.

Buhler has served since 2007 on the commission representing the 1st District, which is located mostly in west Topeka and western Shawnee County.

This is Rork’s first bid for public office. Marple first ran in 2010, winning the 1st District Republican primary before receiving 43 percent of the vote in losing the general election to Buhler.

Marple graduated from Washburn Rural High School in 1972, and attended Allen County Community College and Washburn University. She worked for the postal service as a rural mail carrier for 33 years in southwest Shawnee County before retiring in 2009.

Marple farms with her husband, Ben Marple, and works part time as an adjuster for NAU Crop Insurance. She also is a co-owner of Auburn Investment Group LLC, which owns and operates apartments.

Marple appeared before the commission last summer to urge it not to make cuts, which it subsequently approved, to the budget of the county’s weed department. She said the county suffered as a result of those cuts.

Marple also has publicly expressed concern about what she describes as a “lack of transparency” in the way local officials manage revenue from a countywide, half-cent sales tax.

She said the key issues in this election involve taxes and how tax revenue has been handled and spent.

Marple said: “It has been forgotten that the taxpayer is funding this county and they have every right to know how that money is being spent. I have never understood how the county can’t live within its budget but their solution is to raise taxes and the taxpayer has to now learn to live on a reduced budget.”

Marple said she also is concerned about creating jobs for this community’s young people, and having a healthy environment for its small businesses.

Rork graduated in 1976 from Washburn University and in 1979 from Washburn Law School.

He worked five years in the Kansas Attorney General’s office before founding the Rork Law Office, where he specializes in criminal defense.

Rork said he decided to run after numerous people from all walks of life asked him over the past several years to do so.

He said: “I had to evaluate if I had the ability and once I became committed I began listening and learning about various issues and concerns. I am a person who doesn’t believe I should complain unless I’m willing to get involved.”

Rork said the skills he has developed in the legal profession would benefit him as a commissioner. He said his job requires him to review information, formulate answers based on the data provided and negotiate and compromise to accomplish results that will benefit everyone involved.

“I have the ability to listen, understand, evaluate and, more importantly, communicate well with those I represent,” he said.

Rork said the key issues in this election involve jobs and companies leaving Shawnee County, creating a greater tax burden on homeowners; increases this community has seen in taxes, though roads and services continue to deteriorate; and a lack of accountability from elected officials, who Rork said often don’t return constituents’ calls.

The polls will be open for Tuesday’s primary from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters with any questions may call the election office at (785) 251-5900 or go to http://www.voteks.org.

The seats held by Shawnee County’s 2nd and 3rd District commissioners, Democrat Kevin Cook and Republican Bob Archer, aren’t up for election this year, as both are in the midst of four-year terms.